.  FrFrom the start of 2017 Barbara and I have had a bird nesting box, fitted with a camera. It inspired me to also get a trail camera to capture feeding activity at our feeding station. I subsequently trained an IP security camera on the exterior of the nest box to capture the moment the chicks fledged. Then I bought another ip camera to film our bird bath.
For 2018 we had a 4 Mp IP camera fitted to the original nest box and the Trail camera was relagated to occasional use. The nest camera has had mixed results, the birds cover the lens with material which obviously hampers observation, we've had blue tits and sparrows in the box and both species cover the lens!
Covid took over our lives rather in 2019 & 2020 as Barbara worked in our local hospital. Although we observed wildlife in our garden I neglected to upload it to this site as we were somewhat distracted.
2021 saw the inclusion of a 8Mp ip camera, it has full control of direction and focus of the lens, at that moment we were obsessed with hedgehogs. We were trying to establish how they access and move about our garden. Most available cameras were utilised in tracking the hedgehogs.
In 2022 we continued to watch our hedgehogs and we have had an addition to our observed bird species a Cetti's Warbler no less.
2023 brought us a new gadget, namely the BirdBuddy, we've furthered our hedgehog studies and filmed more species in our garden, and added to our bird species total.
2024 disaster has struck, apart from my ill health, we have several new neighbours, there has been much disruption in their gardens, fences, dogs, loud barking dogs. We knew that the hedgehogs went from garden to garden, and that a couple of gardens had had little attention for many years, so with the changes hardly a hedgehog to be seen, happily no disruption to the bird population, but no new species.
2025 appeared to be more of the same, our garden has had two very large conifers removed, with considerable habitat disruption. No hedgehog sightings until mid May, but an exciting new visitor.
In total we've had 36 different species of bird and 12 different creatures visit our garden and be caught on camera